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S. 254119th CongressSigned into lawLatest action Jun 12, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
The ARTIST Act protects Alaska Native handicrafts from marine mammal parts and limits states' power to ban their sale.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
This law updates the Marine Mammal Protection Act to clarify rules for Alaska Native handicrafts made from marine mammal parts like walrus ivory and whale teeth. It confirms coastal Alaska Natives can hunt marine mammals for subsistence or traditional handicrafts if not wasteful, sets rules requiring handmade methods without mass-production machines, and allows these goods to be sold across state lines while barring states from banning such sales. Federal officials can impose temporary limits if a species is at risk, but must publicly justify them with evidence, including Indigenous knowledge.
Alaska Native artisans, hunters, and communities that produce traditional handicrafts are directly affected, along with state governments and federal wildlife regulators overseeing marine mammal protections.
The law restricts state authority over interstate sale of marine mammal ivory and bone products while preserving federal power to restrict hunting if species are found at risk.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: the President signed it. It's law.Now law
Latest action: — Became Public Law No: 119-99.